Adomah is on fire at Villa Park, having hammered six goals in his last eight appearances.

That's despite a slow start to the season when the 29-year-old lost his place in the team, with Steve Bruce having signed Ahmed Elmohamady from former club Hull City.

With Robert Snodgrass also heading for the Midlands from West Ham, one or two murmurs emerged linking Adomah with a deadline day exit. But he went nowhere and he's kicked on since, playing a pivotal role as Villa recovered from a slow start to the season to join the play-off chasing pack.

Albert Adomah

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Adomah started Boro's first Premier League game of last season against Stoke City but only made one more appearance - coming off the bench at Sunderland - before signing for Villa, with Adama Traore coming the other way.

A year and a bit on and with Adomah in fine form, Goodman, Sky's Championship pundit, says he's still scratching his head as to why Boro didn't keep hold of the former Bristol City man.

"This is a player I'm really surprised that Middlesbrough let go," he said.

"I was shocked when they allowed him to leave for Aston Villa.

"I think he's that good, particularly at Championship level. He's a key, key player and he's proven that at Aston Villa.

"Jonathan Kodjia was out for a good bit of the season at the start and Albert Adomah's managed to step in, so he's adding those goals that we know he's capable of to his all-round game which is very good anyway."